Located between Intestates 15 and 40, find the largest protected desert in the world. East of Barstow, California, this area is the rain shadow of the towering pine-covered mountains about 100 miles west. With its convenient location, visitors can drive through the Mojave desert and see the rich diversity of life in the desert. Here are the top things to do in Mojave Desert.
Top Things To Do in Mojave Desert
- Stop by the Visitor Center
- Take a Hike
- Spot Wildlife
- See Joshua Trees
At a Glance
| Year Established: 1994 |
| Located: Southern California |
| Size: over 1.5 million acres |
| Top Features: Kelso Depot and Joshua Trees |
The Mojave National Preserve
From pinyon-pine speckled mountain peaks to valleys teeming with creosote bush, the Mojave National Preserve challenges the perception of that a desert is barren landscape. The Mojave Desert is greener than its California neighbor, Death Valley National Park. With a convenient location between two major interstates, it’s an easy park to explore in a few hours. Take a drive through and you might spot a jack rabbit’s gigantic ears, hiding among the underbrush.
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The Mojave National Preserve Visitor Centers
Kelso Depot Visitor Center
The Kelso Depot houses one of the Mojave National Preserve Visitors Centers. Originally built by Union Pacific to help LA-bound trains up the two-percent grade of the Cima Summit with helper engines. The Kelso Depot provided a service area for Union Pacific and the vital water needed for steam engines along the Salt Lake-Los Angeles train route.
In 1924, Union Pacific opened a train depot and it’s designed in the Mission Revival architecture style. Union Pacific closed the depot in 1985 as it wasn’t vital to operations. A preservation group and later the National Park Service bought and renovated the building.
Located at 90942 Kelso Cima Road. Open from Thursday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Note: The Kelso Depot Visitor Center is under going repairs in 2022.
Hole-in-the-Wall Information Center
Get maps, park brochures also well as use the restrooms and refill water bottles at the Hole-in-the-Wall Information Center.
Located at 2 Black Canyon Rd. Open Friday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Hiking in Mojave National Preserve
If the weather is pleasant then take a hike in the Mojave Desert.
Hole-in-the-Wall Nature Trail–A .5-mile easy loop at the Hole-in-the-Wall campground.
Lake Tuendeu Nature Trail–A .25 mile walk for younger kids, located off of Zzyzx Road.
Lava Tube–A 1.0-mile trail to explore an underground lava tube.
Rock Springs Trail–A 1.0-mile trail exploring Rock Springs.
Kelso Dunes–A 3 mile roundtrip hike exploring a popular sand dune.
Tuetonic Peak Trail–A 3-mile roundtrip hike to see the highest concentration of Joshua trees in the world, Trailhead is 12 miles south of Interstate 15 on Cima Road.
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Scenic Drives in the Mojave National Preserve
See the diversity of the desert at you drive across the Mojave National Preserve.
Kelbaker Road
Cima Road
Animals of the Mojave Desert
Animal spotting is one of the top things to do in the Mojave Desert.
- Desert Tortoise
- Coyote
- Cougar
- Bats
- Bighorn Sheep
- Black-tailed Jack rabbit
Plants of the Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert is diverse since it ranges in elevation. Find an varity of plants inside the preserve.
- Joshua Tree
- Creosote bush
- Cholla
- Springtime wildflowers like Mojave sage, desert paintbrush and yucca
History of Mojave National Preserve
The California Desert Protection Act of 1994 established the Mojave National Preserve. At the same time the act also expanded and upgraded Death Valley and Joshua Tree national monuments into national parks.
North America features four deserts. The Mojave Desert is the transitional desert landscape in-between the Great Basin Desert, the high desert, to the north and the Sonoran Desert, the low desert, to the south. The remaining desert is the Chihuahua Desert, located near Big Bend National Park.
The Joshua tree dominants the Mojave Desert, a species of yucca and not a tree at all. Kids love Joshua trees and find them near Cima Dome.
National Monuments inside Mojave National Preserve
President Obama designated three national monuments in the Southern California desert. With this designation, critical ecosystems between existing parks are now connected. With the Mojave National Preserve, the Joshua Tree National Park and the national monuments, this area protects the largest desert conservation area in the world.
Castle Mountains National Monument extends the protection of the Mojave National Preserve. It’s surrounded on three sides by the Mojave preserve and borders the Nevada state line.
The Sand to Snow National Monument features the most biodiverse area in Southern California. This monument includes Mt. San Gorgonio, the tallest mountain in Southern California.
The Mojave Trails National Monument connects the land between the Mojave National Preserve to the north and the Joshua Tree National Park to the south. As the largest new monument it encompasses 1.6 million acres for protection during migration.
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Kids at Mojave National Preserve
My kids love animals and animal spotting is easier in the Mojave National Preserve than most wooded parks. We spotted jack rabbits and coyotes along the paved roads in Mojave. Animal spotting keeps kids looking out the windows instead of their screens.
Stop off at a Visitors Center for an interpretive area, restrooms and water fountains. I picked up the free Junior Ranger booklets.
The Junior Ranger Program is the go-to program for families to learn more about Mojave National Preserve. It’s free and takes about an hour to complete. My kids love the badges that the park rangers present them after completing their booklets.
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Camping in Mojave National Preserve
Hole-in-the-Wall Campground
- Year-round
- First Come, First Served
- 35 sites, no hook-ups
- Potable water with vault toilets
Mid Hills Campground
- Year-round
- First Come, First Served
- 26 sites, no hook-ups
- No water and vault toilets
Where’s Mojave National Preserve
Located between Interstates 15 and Interstate 40, the Mojave National Preserve is 200 miles east of Los Angeles. Baker, California, offers services like gas and lodging, located next to the preserve. Las Vegas, Nevada, provides the closest international airport (LAS), 90 miles away.
The Mojave National Preserve is free and open 365-days a year and 24-hours a day. Paved roads can be sun-baked and rough in areas, like the major routes Kelbaker Road and Kelso Cima Road.
Note: There is no gas for sale in the Mojave National Preserve. Cell service is spotty.
1 Comment
Kelso Depot is closed until 2023 due to HVAC problems. Check out the info on the National Park Service website for the preserve.